Poison bait holder for exterminating rodents



Sept. 8, 1953 w. M. MALLOY POISON BAIT HOLDER FOR EXTERMINATING RODENTS3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 25

Attorney Sept. 1953 w. M. MALLOY 2,651,138

POISON BAIT HOLDER FOR EXTERMINATING RODENTS Filed Nov. 25 1949 J r 3Sheets-Sheet 2 HHHHHU m INVENTOR 85 wu/mm M. M alloy Attorney Sept. 8,1953 w. M. MALLOY r 2,651,133

POISON BAIT HOLDER FOR EXTERMINATING RODENTS Filed Nov. 25 1949 s Sh eets-Sheet s jigrl Invenlor h'zzz'am M Mai/lay )1. W

Attorney Patented Sept. 8, 1953 POISON BAIT HOLDER FOR EXTERMINAT INGRODENTS William M. Malloy, Stony Point, N. Y. Application November 25,1949, Serial No. 129,445

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to a novel construction of poison bait holder andby means of which a poisonous bait may be contained within a re ceptacleor hover of such a shape as to afford ready accessibility to rodentssuch as rats and mice but which is of such a size and'shape thatdomestic animals, pets and poultry are denied access thereto and areprevented from reaching the poisonous bait.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a bait holder bymeans of which the bait can be held or contained in such a manner as toprevent rodents from dragging the bait and mass from the holder and-sothat rodents will only be permitted to gnaw small pieces of thepoisonous bait from the bait body.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide a, receptaclewherein any crumbs will be retained therein and which may fall from thebait while it is being gnawed upon by a rodent, thereby preventing suchcrumbs from escaping from the receptacle and being possibly consumed bypoultry, pets or domestic animals.

Still a further and important object of the invention is to provide areceptacle or holder which will afford ready accessibility to rodentsand which is so constructed that the interior thereof will not be undulydarkened and wherein the bait is supported in a manner convenient torodents and readily accessible and in a location which will not appearsuspicious to a rodent.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafterbecome more fully apparent from the following description of thedrawings, illustrating presently preferred embodiments thereof, andwherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of one form of the invention;

Figure 2 is a. cross sectional view thereof taken substantially along aplane as indicated by the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially along aplane as indicated by the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the bait holding unit;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary top planview of a slightly modified form ofthe invention;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view thereof takensubstantially along a plane as indicated by the line 6-45 of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially along aplane as indicated by the line 1-! of Figure 6;

v Figure 8 is an enlarged perspective view .of

2 another form of bait holding unit corresponding to the bait holdingunit illustrated in Figures 6 and '7;

Figure 9 is a, perspective view of a third form of bait holding unit andwhich may be employed interchangeably with the bait holding unit asillustrated in Figures 4 and 8, and

Figure 10 is a cross sectional view similar to Figure 2 showing areceptacle with the bait holding unit of Figure 9 disposed therein andillustrated in section.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, and first with reference tothe form of the invention as illustrated in Figures 1 to 4, thepoisonous bait container or receptacle in its entirety is designatedgenerally I6 and includes a receptacle or box I'I composed of a bottomI8, corresponding upwardly extending side walls I9 and a top wallincluding an intermediate portion 20 which is disposed substantiallyparallel to the bottom I8 and downwardly inclined end portions 2I whichterminate above and in spaced relationship to the ends of the bottom I8and which combine with the end portions of the side walls I9 to form arelatively restricted elongated opening 22 at the end of the receptacleIT. The shape of the receptacle I I as illustrated in Figure 1constitutes a preferred shape as it provides an opening 22 at each endof the receptacle which extends the width thereof and is thereforesufficiently large to admitample light to the interior of the receptacleyet which is of a height to exclude domestic animals, poultry and petsfrom the receptacle while affording ready access therethrough to rodentssuch as rats and mice. However, the receptacle I1 could be made of anyother desired shape having an entrance and exit opening or openings ofproper size for accomplishing the same result. The receptacle I1 ispreferably formed of sheet metal and as this will tend to deter rodentswhich are not accustomed to treading on a metal surface from enteringthe receptacle H, the bottom I8 thereof may be covered with a covering23 of any suitable material such as cardboard, wood or cloth, which maybe suitably bonded to the upper side of the receptacle bottom. Thereceptacle bottom I8 is provided with a relatively large opening 24intermediate of its ends and which extendsfrom side-to-side thereof.,The opening 24 is normally closed by a trap door 25 which extendstransversely of the bottom I8 and which is hinged at 26 at one endthereof to the lower edge of one side wall I9 and which has anupstanding lip 21 to engage the other side wall when the door 25 is in aclosed position, as illustrated in full lines in Figure 2. A springlatch member 28 has one end suitably secured to the outer side of thedoor 25 and is provided with a free end which projects upwardly from thelip 2'! and which is resiliently disposed relatively to the door 25.Said spring latch 28 is provided with an opening adjacent its free endas seen at 29 to detachably engage a pin 30 which projects outwardlyfrom the last mentioned side wall [9 and which is disposed to bereceived in the opening 29 when the trap door 25 is in a closedposition. Theresiliencyof thelatch 28 urges it into engagement with the30 and said latch may be manually sprung outwardly to disengage it fromsaid latch pin 30. The upper or inner surface of the'door 2:5, whichforms a part of the bottom l8, when in a closed position, is covered bya separate intermediate section 23a of the covering 23. The receptacle1'1 may be provided with. a. carrying handle'l'ocated on any desiredpart thereof as for example in the location of the handle Zia in Figure1 and on the upper side of one of. the top wall portions 2|.

The poisonous bait container it also includes a bait holder, designatedgenerally 3i and best illustrated in Figure 4. The bait holder '3!includes a pair of hanger members 32 and 33 each of which is providedwith an out-turned flange 34 at one end thereof. The holder 3! alsoincludes a bar 35 of open work construction which extends between thehangers 32 and 33 and which has upturned flanges 36 at the ends thereofwhich are suitably secured to said hangers. The flanges 34 are adaptedto be suitably anchored to the underside of the top portion '20andyintermediate of the ends of the receptacle 1'1 and so that the baitholder 3| is disposed transversely of the receptacle, as illustrated inFigures 2 and 3. The bar 3 is spaced from the other, lower end of thehangers 32 and 33 and an open work bar 31 is hingedly connected at oneend thereof by a hinge 38 to the lower end of the hanger 32 and isprovided with an upturned opposite end '39 which is adapted to engagethe outerside of the lower portion of the hanger 33 when the bar 3'! isdisposed substantially parallel to the bar 35. A spring "latch member 40is secured at one end thereof to the outer side of the hanger 33, abovethe bar portion 39 and has an outwardly offset free end provided with anopening 4| to receive a latch pin 42 carried by and which projects fromthe outerside of the bar portion 33. The spring latch 49 is spring urgedinto engagement with the pin 42 for releasably supporting the bar 31 inits full line position of Figure 4 and the lower, free end of the springlatch may be sprung outwardly to its dotted line position of Figure 2 toallow the bar 31 to swing downwardly as illustrated in dotted lines inFigures 2 and 4.

To bait the poisonous bait container 1.6, the latch 28 is released toallow the trap door .25 to swing downwardly, after which the latch 40 isreleased and the bar 31 swung away from the bar 35. This may beaccomplished with the receptacle I1 in an inverted position. A solidbait mass 43, in the form of a block or biscuit, or which may be of anyother desired form, is then positioned against the bar 35 after whichthe bar 31 is returned to its full line position of Figures 2 and 4 andlatched in this position by the spring latch 40. The bait '43 :isofsufficient 4 thickness so as to be clamped between the open work bars35 and 31.

From the foregoing it will be readily apparent that the bait receptacleI6 may be very readily baited and placed in a position infested by ratsor mice. The open ends 22 will admit sufficient light to the interior ofthe receptacle i1 and afford sufficient room for a rat or mouse toreadily enter said receptacle from either end thereof. The bait 43 islocated at a level so that rodents may readily feed thereon and ispreferably so constructed that pieces may be gnawed off. of the baitmass yet will resist any efforts oftl-re rodent to break off large hunksof the bait. Accordingly, it will be substantially impossible for arodent to carry away more of the bait than it could-readilyconsumethereby eliminating the danger of pieces of bait being strewed around inlocations where it would be available to poultry, livestock or pets. Thereceptacle I! is of sufiicient length so that poultry, livestock andpets cannot obtain access to the bait 43 and any partieles of the baitwhich are dropped as a rodent is gnawing on the bait will fall on to thebottom l8 or trap door 25 and at a sufficient distance from the openends 22 so that said particles will not be accessible to livestock,poultry or pets.

Figures 5 to 8 illustrate a slightly diiferen-t form of the baitcontainer, designated generally I60: and which includes a receptacleIla, only a portion of which has been illustrated but which conforms inshape tothe receptacle ll and differs therefrom in that the trap door inthe bottom thereof is omitted and the bottom [80. is made continuousfrom end-to-end of the receptacle Ila. The receptacle Hg is alsomodified in that its intermediate top portion 20a is provided with arelatively large opening 44 defined by a downwardly offset flange 45,forming an integral part of the top portion 20a. A closure member 46 isadapted to normally close the opening 44 and is provided with adepending marginal flange 41 which seats upon the downwardly offsetflange 4 5 for supporting the upper surface of the closure 46 insubstantially the same plane as the top portion 20a. The closure 46 isprovided with an upwardly projecting handle or bail 48 by which saidclosure may be removed from the receptacle ll-a and by which thereceptacle may be carried when the closure 46 is secured thereto, aswill hereinafter be described.

A pair of swinging latch members 49 are each connected swingably to theupper surface of the top portion 20a by a rivet or other fastening 50,for swinging movement in a plane parallel to the top portion 20a andsaid latch members 43 are disposed so that the free ends thereof may beswung to positions to overlie portions of the closure 46, as illustratedin Figures 5 .and 6, for securing the closure 45 in its position ofFigures 5 and 6, or said latch members 43 may be swung in eitherdirection out of engagement with the closure 46 to permit said closureto be removed from the receptacle Ila.

A bait holding unit, designated generally if, is demountably supportedin the "receptacle Ila by the cover 46 and include a substantiallyU-shaped frame, designated generally 52 having correspondingsubstantially arallel legs 53 which are provided with outturned flanges54 at their upper ends which are suitably secured to the under side ofthe closure 46 so that the bait holding unit 5i will be disposedtransversely of the receptacle Ila and intermediate of its ends. Thelegs 53 are providedwith correspondingilon- 'gitudinally extending slotsor openings 55 which are provided with lateral enlargements 56 at eachof their ends. A movable bait retaining bar, designated generally 51includes an intermediate portion of open work construction, designated58, of a length less than the distance between the legs 53. The movablebait retaining bar 51, beyond one end of its intermediate portion 58 isprovided with a restricted portion 59 having a further restricted neckportion 60 beyond said portion 59. A neck portion 6| extends from theopposite end of the intermediate portion 58 and is connected to arestricted portion 62 which is disposed therebeyond. The portions 59 and62 are of a width to engage in the lateral enlargements 56 and the neckportions 60 and 6! are of a width to slidably engage-the slots 55.The'terminal portions 63 of the movable bait bar 51 are of approximatelythe same width as the intermediate portion 58. The intermediate portion64 of the U-shaped frame 52 is likewise of open work construction and isof approximately the same width as the bar portion 58.

From the foregoing it will be readily apparent that with the cover 46removed from the receptacle Hat and with the movable bait holding bar 51displaced upwardly relatively to the slots 55, that a bait 43a, similarto the bait 43 may be placed on the stationary bait holding bar 64. Themovable bait holding bar 51 may be supported in its aforementionedelevated position by positioning the bar portions 59 and 62 inengagement with the upper slot enlargements 56. After the bait has beenapplied to the bar 64, the movable bait holding bar 51 may be grasped byeither handle end 63 and displaced from left to right of Figure 8 tomove the neck portions 68 and 6| into registry simultaneously with theslots 55 and so that said neck portions can slide downwardly through theslots 55. The movable bait holding bar 51 is then pressed downwardly onthe bait to bring the bar portions 59 and 62 into alignment with the twolower slot enlargements 56 after which said movable bait holding bar 51is displaced in the opposite direction or from right to left of Figure 8to move the bar portions 59 and 62 into engagement with the lower slotenlargements 56 for locking the movable bait holding bar in itslowermost position, as illustrated in Figure 7, and so that the bait 43awill be clamped between the bars 58 and 64 and supported within thereceptacle [1a, when the cover 46 is reapplied, in substantially thesame position that the bait 43 is supported by the bait holding unit 3|Figures 9 and illustrate another form of bait holding unit designatedgenerally 65 and which may be substituted for either the bait holdingunit 3! or the bait holding unit 5 l The bait holding unit 65 includesan inverted substantially U-shaped frame 66 the intermediate portion 61of which may be suitably secured either to the intermediate top surface26 or to the cover 46 and so that the substantially parallel legs 68 and66a of the frame 66 will extend downwardly therefrom. The legs 68 and6811 are connected adjacent but spaced from their lower free ends by astationary bait holding bar 69 of open work construction, which extendstherebetween and which is suitably secured at ends to the legs 68 and68a. The leg 68 at its lower end is provided with spaced pairs of hingedbarrels 18 each pair of which is adapted to receive therebetween ahinged barrel 1| which is connected thereto by a hinge pin 12. The twohinged 6 barrels 1| are formed integral with laterally spacedcomplementary ends of two bars 13 which are integrally connected attheir opposite ends by a transverse portion 14. Said bars 13 are turnedupwardly at a point adjacent the cross bar 14 to provide an upstandingflange 15 which is adapted to engage the outer side of the leg 68a whenthe bars 13 are disposed beneath and substantially parallel to thestationary bait holding bar 69. A lever 16 is provided with a short end11 which is disposed at substantially a right angle to the remainder ofsaid lever and which terminates in a transverse sleeve portion 18 whichis journaled on a pin 19. The pin 19 has its ends anchored in the bars13, adjacent the cross bar 14 and in the flange portion 15. The bar 16fits loosely into the space between the bars 13 to combine therewith toform an open work construction similar to the stationary bar'69 and theother, free end of said lever 16 terminates in a transversely disposedspring lip 88 which is adapted to yieldably engage frictionally againsta portion of the inner side of the leg 68 for supporting said lever 16in substantially the same plane as the bars 13. The lever portion 11 isprovided with a rounded projection 8| on its inner side which seats in arecess 82 on the outer side of the leg 68a when the lever 16 is disposedin the same plane as the bars 13 to form a latch structure for latchingthe parts 13 and 16 in their full line positions of Figure 9 and intheir positions of Figure 10. It will be readily apparent that a bait,similar to the bait 43 or 4311 and not shown in Figures 9 and 10, may bereadily clamped between the bar 69 and the portions of the bars 13 andlever 16 which are disposed therebeneath. In order to swing the parts 13and 16 away from the bar 69 for removing the bait or for opening thebait holder 65 for applying a bait thereto, the lip is grasped andpressed away from the leg 68 so that the lever 16 may be swungdownwardly and outwardly on its pivot 19 and relatively to the bars 13,thereby disengaging the pro- 'ection 8| from the recess 62 and so thatthe bars 13 may swing downwardly on the pivots 12 and in the oppositedirection and carrying with them the lever 16.

Figure 10 shows the bait holding unit 65 disposed in a receptacle,designated generally 83, which may correspond, for example, with thereceptacle I1. The intermediate portion of the U-shaped frame 61 issuitably secured to the underside of the intermediate portion 84 of thetop wall of the receptacle 83 and transversely of said receptacle. Ahinged bottom trap door 85, which is hingedly mounted at 86 and normallymaintained in a closed position by a latch 81, corresponding to thelatch 26, may be unlatched and swung downwardly to an open position inthe same manner as the trap door 25, and the opening 88, correspondingto the opening 24, which is closed by the trap door 85 when in a closedposition, is disposed beneath the bait holding unit 65 so that the parts13 and 16 when swung downwardly to their dotted line positions of Figure9 may extend outwardly through said opening 88.

Various modifications and changes are contemplated and may obviously beresorted to, without departing from the spirit or scope of the inventionas hereinafter defined by the appended claim.

I claim as my invention:

The combination of a receptacle provided with an entrance opening, and abait holder, said bait holder comprising a pair of hanger memberssecured to and prejeeting tram a well of said receptacle remote to theentrance openin thereof, and toward an opposite wall thereof, saidhanger members being spaced from one another transversely of thereceptacle, a slotted bar extending between and secured. at its ends tothe hanger members, said bar being spaced from the ends of the hangermembers, a second slotted bar pivotally connected at one end to a freeend 0f one of the hanger members, latch means detaohably latching theother end of the second s1otted bar to a free end of the other han ermember to position the bars in spaced substantially parallel pesition-sfor clamping a poisonous bait therebetween in an exposed position withinthe receptacle, said last mentioned wall having a relatively largeopening through which the last mentioned end of said second slotted baris swingabl-yrmovable When unlatched and-through which WILLIAM M.MALLOY.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 442,222 Gunderson ar Dec. 9, 1890 512,543 For-berg Jan. 9,1894 890,430 Mann 1 V June 9, 1908 978,742 Hatchell Dec. 13, 19191,108,724 Draper et a1 Aug. 25, 1914 1,291, 1 Keller Jan. 14, 1919Hedrich p", Apr. 29, 1919

